CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Officials at a private Tennessee prison say they are reworking polices to ensure inmates get prescription medications more quickly.

A Hamilton County judge, Tom Greenholtz, has heard allegations from inmates that the prison takes several weeks to verify new inmates' prescriptions.

Prison officials at Silverdale Detention Facilities say they are working on a new procedure that would cut the wait time to 48 hours.

Greenholtz began digging into poor medical management allegations in August after a local inmate wrote that Silverdale wasn't treating his bone cancer or broken shoulder.

Officials at Silverdale say one problem causing delays is that they cannot accept open prescription bottles because they can't verify what's inside, and they don't want inmates mixing medicine with contraband like methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin.